Formicidae: Myrmicinae)

University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Center for Systematic Entomology, Gainesville, Insecta Mundi Florida September 1997 Stings of some species of Lordomyrma and Mayriella (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) Charles Kugler Biology Department, Radford University, Radford, VA Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/insectamundi Part of the Entomology Commons Kugler, Charles, "Stings of some species of Lordomyrma and Mayriella (Formicidae: Myrmicinae)" (1997). Insecta Mundi. 268. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/insectamundi/268 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for Systematic Entomology, Gainesville, Florida at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Insecta Mundi by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. INSECTA MUNDI, Vol. 11, Nos. 3-4, Se~tember-December,1997 193 Stings of some species of Lordomyma and Mayriella (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) Charles Kugler Biology Department, Radford University, Radford, VA 24142 Abstract: The sting apparatus and pygidium are described for eight of 20 Lordorrtyrrrla species and one offive Mayriella species. The apparatus of L. epirlotnlis is distinctly differentfrom that of other Lordorr~yrrr~aspecies.Coml~arisons with other genera suggest affinities of species of Lordor~lyrrrluto species of Cyphoidris and Lncltr~or~~yrrr~~x,while Mayriella ubstir~er~s Forel shares unusual features with those of Proattu buttaki. Introduction into two halves and a separate sting. The stings were mounted in glycerin jelly for ease of precise This paper describes the sting apparatus in positioning and repositioning for different views. eight species of Lordornyrrn,a that were once mem- The other sclerites were usually mounted in Cana- bers of four different genera. The stings of five da balsam. Lordorrz.yrrria species were partially clescribed by Voucher specimens identified with the label Iiugler (1978), but at the time three were consid- "I<ugler 1995 Dissectionvoucher" or "Voucher spec- ered to be in the genus Prodicronspis or Prornera- imen, Iiugler study 1976" are deposited in the 1~0p1u.s(Prorr~era,r~o~)l~s rouxi Emery, one an uncle- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Mas- terminetl species of Prorrrera.r~oplus,and Prodi- sachusetts. cronspis sara.siici Emery). These genera are now Most preparations were drawn and measured considered synonyms of Lordorr1,yrrnn (Holldobler using a Zeiss IiF-2 phase contrast microscope with ancl Wilson 1990, p. 14; Bolton 1994, p. 106). In an ocular grid. Accuracy is estimated at plus or addition, during a revision ofRogeria (Iiugler 1994) minus 0.OOlmm at 400X magnification. I transferred L. tortu.osaMann, L. levifrorcs Mann, Definitions of ternis (See also figure labels and L. stricr.tella Mann from Rogeria to Lordolnyr- and Iiugler 1978, 1991, 1992). The sensilla formula rrrapartly on the basis of sting apparatus anatomy. of the oblong plates is the range in number of On t,he other hand, L. epinota,lis Mann was trans- intervalvifer sensilla, ramal sensilla, and fulcral ferred to Lordorr1,yrrn.a. on the basis of est;ernai arm sensilla found on oblong plates. Intervalvifer characters. I-Iere I extend and summarize what is sensilla are located near the articulation with tbe known of t,he st,ing apparatus in this expanded triangular plate. IZamal sensilla detect movement concept of Lordornyrrr~,~,. of the slender rami on the anterior edge of the Mayriella is a small genus from Australian ancl oblong plate. Fulcra1 arm sensilla are located in the eastern Oriental zoogeographic regions (Brown base of the fulcral arm. The sensilla formula of the 1973). Its phylogenetic relationships are unclear. gonostyli is the range in number on the proximal Holldobler and Wilson (1990) clicl not assign it t,o a segment followed by the range on the distal seg- tribe; Rolton (1994 p. 106) "tlubiously include# it ment. The regions of the sting are defined by with Lordorr~yrn1,ain the Stenammini. internal structure (Fig. 7). Moving anteriorly from The sting apparatus is a complex charact,er the sting tip, the boundary between the sting shaft and the valve chamber is the point where the inner system that can be usedforphylogenetic analysis of wall of the sting shaft meets the outer sting wall. ant genera (I<ugler 1978,1991;Boltson 1976; Baroni Cont,inuing ant,criorly, the boundary between the Urbani et al. 1992). Here I use it to search for valve chamber and the stingbulb is the point where genera related to Lordorrt,yrma and A4atyriella,. the inner and outer walls of the sting separate Methods again. The StingL is the sum of the lengths of the three sting regions. The Index of Reduction is a Sting apparatuses were dissectecl, cleared in measure of the length of the sting relative to the hot lact,ophenol solution, then further dissected size of t,he ant (sting shaft length 1 pronotal width). 194 Volume 11, Nos. 3-4, Septen~ber-December,1997, INSECTA MUNDI Lorclomyrma sclerotized, but often the two segments are not very well delimited. In L. e~)iieota,listhe segments are Specimens examined. L. ca.ledorcica Andr6 indistinct, with the proximal portion longer than (3 workers) New Caledonia, Mt. Mou, E. 0.Wilson, the distal, which has an acute membranous apex leg. L. epircota.lis Mann (1 worker) British Solomon (Fig. 3). Sensilla formulae similar in all species: 3- Islands, Star Harbor, W. M. Mann, leg. L. leuifrorcs 7, 1-4. Mann (1 worker) Fiji, Viti Levu, Tholo-I-Suva,N. L. Triangular plate (Figs. 1,2).Uorsoapical and H. Icrauss, leg. L. pu,r~ctiveietrisWheeler (1 worker) ventroapical processes sometimes look short and Australia, Queensland, Broken River, Gkm S. Eun- truncate (Fig. I), but sometimes appear subacute gella, W. L. & D. E. Brown, leg. L. rouxi (2 workers) (Fig. 2). Since both shapes are seen in preparations New Caledonia, Ciu, E. O. Wilson, leg. L. sa,rasirci of L. prucctiverctris, L. rouxi, and L. sarasirt,i, the (2 workers) New Caledonia, Ciu, E. 0. Wilson, leg. apparent shape may depend on the orientation of L, stria,tella Mann (1 worker) Vanua Ava, W. M. this thick plate on the slide. Medial tubercle visible Mann, leg. L, tortuosa Mann (1 worker) Fiji, Viti in at least one preparation of all species except L. Levu, N. L. H. Icrauss, leg. leuifroi~sand L. epii~ota,lis(may be present in these Spiracular plate (Figs. 2, 3). Rectangular in also, butjust not visible in my preparations). Only most species (Fig 2); with an obvious posterodorsal L. rou,xi has a dorsal tubercle. lobe only in L. rouxi (Kugler 1978 Fig. 120), L. Lancets (Figs. 5,G). Base of each lancet with a caledonica, and L, sarasirci. In L. epircotalis, the single well developed valve. Lancet terminus is plate is less rectangular because the anterior apo- quite variable: sclerotized, cuneiform, and possibly deme has alarge process (Fig. 3). Medialconnection able to pierce in L. ca,ledoicica, L. rou,xi, and L. membranous in all but L. tortuosa, where it is a surasii~i(Fig. 5); filamentous in L. levifroics, L. narrow, weakly sclerotized band. Spiracle small. pr~icctivei~tris,L. stria.t,ella, and L. tortu.osa, (Fig. 6); Quadrate plate (Figs. 1-3).Most species with weak and spatulate in L. epiieotalis. a tapered anterodorsal corner (Fig. 2), but some- Sting (Figs. 7- 11). Most species: wedge-shaped times pollicate. In a L. tortuosa specimen the plate in both lateral ancl ventral views; sting bulb and on one side has a pollicate corner, but the other has valve chamber little differentiated in external view a tapered corner (Fig. 1); neither looks distorted by (Figs. 7-10); internal ritlge of sting base vestigial. the preparation. In some species, the dorsal edge of Variation occurs in the height of the sting base and the apodeme is not thickened (Fig. 2), but it is size of the basal notch and in the shape of the sting thickened in L. rouxi and L. sa,rasini, and produces apex. Sting apex is strong and evenly tapered in L. a small lateral lobe in L, epir~ota~lis(Fig. 3) and L. rou,xi (Fig. 7 and Icugler 1978, Fig. 127), strong with purcctiver~tris.The body of the plate projects below slightly reduced sides in L. sarasirci (Fig. 9), weak the level of the apodeme. The body is larger or with very reduced sides in L. leuifroi~s,L. yur~c- subequal in area with the apodeme in most species, tiveil,tris, L. striatella,, ancl L. tortuosa (Fig. lo), or but distinctly smaller in L. epiraotalis. strong with flared sides in L. cnledoicica (Fig. 8 and Anal plate. Very weakly sclerotized so that I<ugler 1978, Fig. 129). The sting of L. epii~ota,lis edges of the "plate" are not visible. With 0-2 setae. (Fig. 11) is quite different, with a larger, convex Oblong plate (Figs. 1-3). Anterior apodeme sting bulb and slender sting shaft. Its sting shaft short, blunt. Posterior arm short, with thick, strong- seems weak and unable to pierce. The sting shaft of ly curved dorsal ridge and little or no subterminal all species examined ranges from 49% (L. ccr.ledorc- tubercle. No postincision separates the posterior ica, Fig. 8) to 56% (L. sarmirci, Fig. 9) of StingL. The and ventral arms. Ventral arm short; fulcra1 arm sting bulb is 22-24% of StingL in most, but 29% in usually fusiform (Fig. I), but with a thick clorsal L, ca,ledorcica (Fig. 8) and 28% in L. epir~otalis(Fig. ridge in L. striatella (Fig. 2), and linear in L. 11). The Index of R.eduction runs from 0.24 (L. epii~ota~lis(Fig. 3). Sensillaformulae are similar (3- ca,ledoicica) to 0.31 (L.

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